AUGUSTA – The state’s deteriorating relations with Maine’s two largest Indian tribes hit a new low this week when the Passamaquoddy delegation walked out of a special tribal-state commission meeting. When, or if, tribal representatives return to the panel remains a matter of speculation, according… Read More
Late in October, the University of Maine faculty agreed to a new contract giving professors a 1.5 percent pay increase over each of the next two years. Though the faculty approved the contract, professors will remain among the worst-paid in the nation, according to faculty… Read More
On the surface, Calais doesn’t seem like the ideal place to promote the arts as an economic stimulus. “For rent” signs dot vacant storefronts along Main Street, and, in a controversial move last winter, part of the downtown district was declared a slum and blight zone for grant-writing… Read More
Flossie Irish spent a long night Thursday, pacing the floors in her small Burnham farmhouse. She had spent the morning engrossed in the arduous task of paying bills and setting money aside for a bank deposit to cover the checks she was writing. But that… Read More
A story on the front of the State section Friday about a Bangor man in the Coast Guard contained errors. The 378-foot cutter deployed to the Persian Gulf last year is the Boutwell, not the Harrison. The Walnut is a seagoing buoy tender, not a tug. Seaman Apprentice… Read More
INDIAN ISLAND – The debate over whether Maine is a racist state controlled by wealthy elitists doesn’t mean a lot to those living on Indian Island, struggling to pay their bills. But the claims of racism and elitism made by tribal leaders after voters rejected… Read More
Thank you for Todd Benoit’s fact-filled column, “Experiencing a federal case of anxiety” (BDN, Nov. 1-2). Although one could argue “fact-filled” since no one seems to understand No Child Left Behind except for the system-wide confusion about it. As a parent of three students in… Read More
Howard Dean, the Democratic front-runner for president, repeatedly talked about attracting to his party the guys “in the South who drive pickup trucks with Confederate flag decals on the back.” When the other candidates eventually noticed the problem with this thinking, he first defended his comment, then backtracked… Read More
Calling it “one for our soldiers” the House Friday gave its approval to a much-debated Defense Authorization bill that includes, among other things, small increases in military pay and benefits. The Senate is expected to pass the bill early next week, giving President Bush a nice Veterans Day… Read More
We the undersigned faculty at the University of Maine are writing to express our dismay at the decision of the University of Maine’s College of Business, Public Policy and Health to sponsor a conference in Scarborough, Nov. 13, on “Business Opportunities in Iraq,” with an admission fee of… Read More
Your references to the Department of Education’s Learning Results program and your recent report about the failures of some Maine schools to meet federal goals brings to mind a comment by Neil Postman. Postman, whose obituary was published recently in your newspaper, was an educator… Read More
Reading your article, “Hunter charged after shooting doe in yard” (BDN, Nov. 3), left me wondering if the Bangor Daily News couldn’t find anything else to write about this day or is it just the growing anti-hunter campaign? I’m sure there’s more crime that goes… Read More
The reason we no longer have a functional rail system is that it was not very efficient in the first place. Its lack of service is pretty much the norm. If we had to depend on rail service for timely delivery of goods we would be in deep… Read More
Why should Maine citizens be concerned about the University of Maine’s sponsorship of a conference on “Doing Business in Iraq”? The Bangor Daily News (Nov. 1-2) quoted the founder of the U.S.-Iraq Business Alliance, Dennis Sokol, who sees only profit-making opportunities in Iraq. “When there are diamonds and… Read More
In a dispatch from the World War II Sicilian campaign, the late, great war correspondent, Ernie Pyle – a man who could flat-out write – described how soldiers in battle often reach a zombie-like stage “and still go on and on.” “As for the rest… Read More
Voters embraced two Maine traditions Tuesday: the time-honored industry of playing the horses and the rejection of whatever the Indian tribes want. One of these traditions is considerably older – harness racing only became a proud tradition for many when recent television commercials filled us in. The two… Read More
In the past year Maine has seen unprecedented economic turmoil with a biennial budget shortfall of more than a billion dollars – auditing problems at the Department of Human Services topping $100 million and scandals in the Department of Education with the Migrant Worker Program to the tune… Read More
BANGOR – Only 13 other states had working families struggling harder than those in Maine to make ends meet during the first three years of the Bush administration. This finding came as part of a report issued this week by the country’s largest labor union. Read More
A year ago this week, Bangor learned it was losing an institution. When Bill Zoidis announced that he was leaving the restaurant business and that Pilots Grill was likely to close, it shocked a lot of people. But they didn’t stay shocked for long –… Read More
If you’ve been keeping up with the news, you might already be aware of the novel strategy that some Maine leaders believe can breathe new life into communities that have been crippled by the steady erosion of the state’s traditional economic base. Called “the creative… Read More
AUGUSTA – Responding to a request by Gov. John E. Baldacci for an opinion, the Maine Attorney General’s Office concluded Friday that Question 1A should be placed on the June primary ballot for a runoff election, barring intervening action by the Legislature. Baldacci was seeking… Read More
ELLSWORTH – Clean-shaven and wearing a white shirt and tie, an Otis boy on Friday formally denied charges connected to an incident in which he allegedly set a fellow high school student on fire. Lucas A. White, 15, was in Ellsworth District Court to answer… Read More
PROSPECT – The demise of the Waldo-Hancock Bridge has taken another local landmark with it. The owners of the Sail Inn Restaurant, a fixture on the western end of the bridge for the past 55 years, announced Friday that they will close the restaurant for… Read More
AUGUSTA – The state officially began looking Friday for a motivated buyer with $125 million to spend on a 10-year contract for exclusive wholesale liquor distribution rights in Maine. The state’s 179-page request for proposals went up on the state Department of Administrative and Financial… Read More
PRESQUE ISLE – Support was evident during a Thursday night public hearing for a proposal to increase the moose hunt by 550 permits in northern Maine, according to Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife officials. Residents who attended the hearing focused on problem solving instead… Read More
BANGOR – Between four and six tons of junk and debris – including 148 discarded shopping carts – were removed from Birch Stream on Friday as part of a daylong cleanup operation involving about 60 people. Some of the carts had been there for 20… Read More
LINCOLN – The town is in the process of forming an ad hoc committee to handle an expansion of the Veteran’s Memorial located in the downtown. At 7 p.m. Monday, the Town Council will consider appointing Councilors Stephen Clay and John Weatherbee to the committee. Read More
EAST MILLINOCKET – Schenck High School senior Jesse Powers recently has been appointed to the Legislative Youth Advisory Council. As part of her duties, Powers will work with other members of the 18-person council composed of youth and legislators to advise the Legislature and its… Read More
ORRINGTON – The Pioneer Club will hold a family and friends swim Monday, Nov. 10, at the Bangor YWCA. Those wishing to participate should meet at 6 p.m. at the Orrington Center Church, 468 Dow Road, or at 6:30 p.m. at the YWCA. A church… Read More
ORONO – Women of the World will meet at noon Monday, Nov. 10, at the Church of Universal Fellowship, Main Street, Orono. The meeting’s theme is American Thanksgiving. International women are invited to learn more about and to participate in a traditional Thanksgiving meal. The cost is $4,… Read More
BANGOR – The Bangor Area Bill of Rights Defense Committee will hold an organizational meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, at the Peace and Justice Center, located at 170 Park St. The committee will be modeled on similar groups in New England and the… Read More
BANGOR – Maine Adoption Placement Service will hold an adoption awareness display 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Bangor Mall. The display will have information on local agencies and resources available for people considering adoption. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
ORONO – Chellie Pingree, president and chief executive officer of Common Cause, and state Rep. Hannah Pingree, D-North Haven, will discuss “Common Causes: Two Generations of Maine Women in Progressive Politics” The session is scheduled for 12:15-1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11 in the Bangor Lounge, Memorial Union at… Read More
SOUTHWEST HARBOR – The town’s Public Facilities Commission has recommended a new 10,000-square-foot fire station and now will try to get cost estimates to move the process forward. Although the committee would like to have a funding question for the 2004 town meeting next May,… Read More
BAR HARBOR – The planning board has officially endorsed a zoning change for the Log Cabin restaurant property on Route 3, clearing the way for a special town meeting vote on the issue next month, a planning official said Friday. The vote was expected because… Read More
UNITY – A committee guiding SAD 3’s efforts to build a new school needs to settle three big questions, its chairman said Friday. Read Brugger, head of the building committee, said a meeting has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17, at the Mount… Read More
COLUMBIA FALLS – For a town without a historical society, residents enjoy as many as eight buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Town Hall, built in 1840 as a Union church in Greek revival style, gained such a designation in 2000. Read More
LIMESTONE – A two-story barn was lost to fire Thursday night, but five horses stabled there were saved. Local fire officials would not say if anything was suspicious about the fire, but the state Fire Marshal’s Office was notified. Investigators were expected at the scene… Read More
PRESQUE ISLE – Horizons Health Services is offering seven flu shot clinics in November at health centers throughout Aroostook County. The free clinics will be held: googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for… Read More
FORT KENT – The University of Maine at Fort Kent’s academic outreach office, in conjunction with the Rural Public Safety Administration program, will again host a satellite broadcast from the National Terrorism Preparedness Institute. The live response program, which will focus on emergency medical services… Read More
FORT KENT – The Biathlon World Cup competition to be held March 1-6 in Fort Kent will be the topic of a business networking breakfast at the University of Maine at Fort Kent at 7:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 14, in Nowland Hall. Max Cobb, United… Read More
SOUTHWEST HARBOR – The planning board on Thursday asked the town of Cranberry Isles for more information before proceeding with its request to add 22 parking spaces to the Manset transportation facility. The Cranberry Isles, with about 140 year-round residents, also wants to create a… Read More
CAMDEN – The approximately 70 educational support staff in SAD 28 and the Five Town CSD are entering a second year without a contract, as negotiations with the district school boards have bogged down over health insurance benefits. The Megunticook Educational Support Association represents secretaries,… Read More
WALDOBORO – There will be potluck supper to benefit the surviving family members of the fishing trawler Candy B II, which was lost at sea on Oct. 10. The supper will be 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, at Medomak Valley High School. The fee is… Read More
MACHIAS – An on-site helipad for LifeFlight and other medical arrivals and evacuations by helicopter should be in business on the Down East Community Hospital premises by month’s end, said the hospital’s chief executive officer. Wayne Dodwell, chief executive officer since September 2002, looks forward… Read More
MATTAWAMKEAG – After nearly nine years in the position, Town Administrator Vern Lemieux will cut back to half-time on his way to retiring from the position early next year. Town selectmen unanimously voted earlier this week to have Lemieux work only the first and third… Read More
ROCKLAND – The battle between the city and the local American Legion over its property tax exemption status may end soon if a proposed settlement is accepted by a court. The first advance in settling the matter will be a City Council vote on a… Read More
NORTHEAST HARBOR – A community meeting will be held 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18, at Neighborhood House to hear from people who need year-round housing options on Mount Desert Island. At a recent housing summit sponsored by Mount Desert Community Trust and MDI Tomorrow, participants… Read More
DOVER-FOXCROFT – A former Greenville restaurateur plans to open a family-style restaurant on North Street later this year. The new restaurant will offer a casual family atmosphere, said Seth Ostrosky, who leased and operated Flatlander’s Pub in Greenville for three years before moving to Dover-Foxcroft. Read More
Penobscot County Superior Court, Bangor Cases Aug. 1-31, 2003 googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) { if (isMobileDevice()) { if (slot_sizes[i][0] googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
BANGOR – The City Council and the school committee will elect chairpersons for the coming year during back-to-back organizational meetings Monday morning at City Hall. During a ceremony that begins at 10 a.m., City Clerk Gail Campbell will swear in John Cashwell III, Peter D’Errico,… Read More
Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department officers charged two men and a woman with burglary Friday morning in Garland. Detective Bill Flagg said that at about 9 a.m., Deputy Josh Tibbetts went to a house on Route 94 where a burglary was reportedly in progress. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
FORT KENT – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is investigating Kent Inc., but federal officials wouldn’t comment this week on the nature of the investigation into the bankrupt company. Henry Glogwski Jr., a senior USCPSC investigator from Pennsylvania, spent three days in Fort Kent… Read More
The family of Rockland District Middle School custodian Steve Robinson is going through a difficult time, so fellow school employees, community groups, organizations and individuals are doing all they can to help. Sam Robinson, a 13-year-old eighth-grader at the middle school, is undergoing treatment for… Read More
GOULDSBORO – Gouldsboro Grammar School has joined the ranks of other schools in the state faced with having to get rid of an unwanted visitor: mold. Since the beginning of the year, roughly 20 schools have reported to the state that they are having problems… Read More
Tuesday, Nov. 11, is Veterans Day. The day’s Greater Bangor events include: . Veterans Day Parade, 10:15 a.m., lineup at Brewer Shopping Center on Wilson Street. Beginning at 9:45 a.m., Advanced Auto Parts will provide a warm space for veterans to wait until the parade… Read More
CASTINE – The Challenger Learning Center of Maine will hold its 2003 Space Showcase for teachers of kindergarten through grade 12 at 9 a.m. today at Maine Maritime Academy. The daylong workshop will emphasize science, math and technology topics for classroom initiatives and will feature… Read More
BANGOR – The world of welding, heavy equipment and technology isn’t just for men anymore. Nearly 100 girls from 14 Maine high schools and technical schools attended Totally Trades on Friday, a conference that explored nontraditional trades through hands-on experience from women in the field. Read More
BANGOR – A Warren man was sentenced Friday to 25 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on multiple charges of bank robbery. Fort Fairfield native Donald Amiee Turner, 37, pleaded guilty on June 11 to the Jan. 3, 2000,… Read More
BANGOR – A fire that killed one man, injured another and destroyed a Bangor apartment building Thursday was started accidentally by someone in the first-floor apartment, officials said Friday. Meanwhile the first-floor tenant who was burned as he tried to rescue a visiting friend from… Read More
PORTLAND, Ore. – Professional BMXer Bruce Crisman swoops up a concrete slope of Burnside Skate Park, hanging airborne for a moment before rushing down again. Looking on, Christian evangelist Luis Palau is full of admiration for their skill. “Wow,” he says. “Have you watched these… Read More
HOLDEN – A lot has changed in town over the past 175 years, but one thing has remained constant – the little white clapboard church located on the corner of Church Road and Rider’s Bluff. The Holden Congregational Church will celebrate its 175th anniversary on… Read More
PORTLAND – First lady Laura Bush will visit Portland on Monday to talk about historic preservation. Mrs. Bush will deliver remarks at Merrill Auditorium on the White House’s “Preserve America” initiative. She announced the program last March in a speech to the National Association of… Read More
BOSTON – The University of Maine’s record-setting women’s soccer team had its sights set on two more milestones during their America East semifinal against the University of Hartford Friday afternoon. Maine, with a school-record 13 wins and a first-ever America East playoff appearance, was searching… Read More
At deer camp, hunters come and go, and bucks are shot … or get away. Families grow up … grow closer … and, sometimes, move away, one by one, in a bittersweet exodus that makes their eventual periodic return to the woods an affair worth celebrating. Read More
ORONO – When the University of Maine men’s basketball team was good Friday night, it was very, very good. When it was bad, it was very, very bad. Fortunately for the Black Bears, the very, very worst they played accounted for a five-minute span of… Read More
BANGOR – Sometimes the onslaught is sudden, a long gainer after a series of short bursts. Sometimes it is cumulative, a wearing down of the opposition that ultimately produces a statistical landslide. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes =… Read More
BREWER – The Belfast football team opened the second quarter of Friday night’s PTC Class B quarterfinal with the ball on the Lions’ own 1-yard line after a series of first-quarter drives that hadn’t gone anywhere. A pretty unimpressive start. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – The Boston College Eagles showed Friday night why they were a unanimious choice to win the Hockey East regular-season title in the preseason coaches poll. The Eagles received a shorthanded goal from J.D. Forrest, a power-play goal from Ben Eaves, and… Read More
FORT KENT – Acting University of Maine at Fort Kent athletic director John Murphy has selected Eric Werntgen as the men’s basketball coach for the 2003-2004 season and Lucas Levesque will replace Werntgen as the women’s basketball coach. Werntgen was appointed the men’s basketball coach… Read More
ORONO – Three University of Maine women’s soccer team members were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America District 1 team. Jen Buckley was named to the first team while Katie Hodge and Allison Kelly were named to the second team. Buckley is a two-time captain… Read More
HIGH SCHOOL Girls Soccer googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) { if (isMobileDevice()) { if (slot_sizes[i][0]… Read More
COLLEGE NESCAC Quarterfinals googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) { if (isMobileDevice()) { if (slot_sizes[i][0]… Read More
MAINE vs. NEW HAMPSHIRE Time, site: Saturday, 7 p.m., Whittemore Center, Durham, N.H. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) { if (isMobileDevice()) { if… Read More
BOSTON – Amie Dubois netted an unassisted goal with 22:01 left to pace the No. 3 University of Maine a 2-0 win over No. 2 New Hampshire in America East field hockey tournament semifinal action Friday. Maine advanced to Sunday’s championship game against top-seeded Northeastern… Read More
The LTC Class C championship game will be a rematch of the week six regular season clash between Foxcroft Academy and Stearns of Millinocket. Following a 22-14 LTC semifinal win over No. 3 Bucksport Friday night, the No. 2 Minutemen will play at No. 1… Read More
Charlie Milan III has a sore right arm, but that’s not enough to keep him out of 19th World Team Candlepin Bowling Championships which begin Tuesday in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Milan was told in a recent doctor’s visit that he has ligament damage, but that… Read More
Levi Miller of Belfast and Molly Balentine of Hampden are among the cross country athletes who will compete at today’s New England Boys and Girls Cross Country Championships in New Hampshire. The competition will be held at Derry Field Park in Manchester, N.H. The girls… Read More
Three weeks of regular deer season remain, followed by two weeks of muzzleloader hunting, and it’s likely each consecutive week will yield colder, wetter, more uncomfortable weather and woods conditions. The very climate changes that affect and alter whitetail behavior, especially travel, feeding, and mating patterns, are both… Read More
It’s nice to be recognized for good work, isn’t it? On Nov. 17 the Maine Association of Sea Kayak Guides and Instructors, MASKGI for short, will receive the 2003Governor’s Award for Outstanding Accomplishments in Maine’s Natural Resource-Based Industries. The natural resource industries include agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, forestry, and… Read More
A bit more warm weather this week probably kept people from planning for winter, but Maine’s foremost outdoor outfitter has an event planned today that might put you in the right mood. The L.L. Bean Winter Sports Expo will take place from 9 a.m. to… Read More
Deer are on the edge Deer seem to be spread out, finally, with all of the water we just received. Many years when it is dry, you really have to concentrate on river basins and such. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
The pewter-grey sea stretched out to the horizon, blending in with the similarly hued sky. At the mouth of the cove, waves broke in foaming bursts; on shore, bands of seaweed stretched across the wet sand only a few feet from the grassy dunes. Crows picked through the… Read More
The University of Maine looks to bounce back from a crushing defeat, Husson College and Maine Maritime Academy are gunning for their first victories, and Colby College seeks to wrap up the CBB series title, highlighting today’s football games involving Maine colleges. Maine (5-4) at… Read More
The lights are out. The shades are drawn. The pink doors are locked, and on the window, someone has taped up a paper place mat with the word “closed” written in orange highlighter. But the sign in front of the Oronoka, on Route 2 in… Read More
When I make out my holiday guest list, I will put that old knucklehead Kirk Jones on the top. Kirky, if you have forgotten, was the body surfer who went over the 180-foot Niagara Falls on Oct. 20 without a barrel. Not even a life… Read More
Several days ago, in the evening sky, a hazy white circle with defined scarlet edges surrounded the creamy white glowing half moon. This phenomenon is the product of illumination through ice crystals in the cloud layer above and, some say, is a sure sign snow is soon to… Read More